Date: Fri 08-May-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: SUZANN

Quick Words:

Graves-birthday-giving-Pantry

Full Text:

Graves Twins Choose Give Over Get

(with cut)

BY SUZANNA NUBERG

Douglas and Jason Graves celebrated their 11th birthday in March, and instead

of getting gifts from family and friends, the Faith Food Pantry received 17

bags of food.

The twin boys, along with their mother, Janet Graves, decided to turn their

special day into an event to help others in need. Both Jason and Douglas, who

are fifth graders at Head O' Meadow School, said that they had had plenty of

gift-giving parties in the past and that they needed to come up with a new

idea. They invited their two classes to a rollerblading party at Edmond Town

Hall, but in lieu of gifts, non-perishable food items were requested. Later

that afternoon, the boys delivered them to the pantry. Now, Douglas and Jason

hope that the idea not only becomes a tradition with them, but that it spreads

to other families.

"We have enough stuff," said Douglas. "There is such a thing as too much."

Jason remembered a closet of toys he has not seen in years. "Many are things I

will never play with again," he said. "I would keep and treasure the stuffed

animals my grandmother gave me, but many other things could be given to

charity."

Although the twins were born in January, their party this year was not held

until March.

Nearly 50 children attended their party, and those who were not able to come

still donated food to the pantry. Some were so touched by the boys' generosity

that they gave them gifts anyway. It seems, however, that Jason and Douglas

and their mother also benefited from their charity. "I had the biggest,

warmest feeling inside," said Douglas.

"And I was very touched by the amount of food that came in," said his mother.

The idea came to Mrs Graves when she served on the committee for the

Thanksgiving food drive at Head O' Meadow School and saw first hand the

tremendous generosity of people in Newtown. "I then thought that many

organizations, such as the Faith Food Pantry, would like to be thought of at

times other than the holiday giving season," she said.

The letter from the Faith Food Pantry thanking the boys for their gifts

acknowledged that they were the first children ever to sacrifice presents to

make donations to the charity.